


The Wedding Date (kind of is that what's it called?)

by Flarrowness (Stonathanstans)



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Barry is kind of a jerk to Len and Len is kind of a jerk to Barry, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Jealousy, M/M, Post-Divorce, Slow Build, wedding retreats
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-25
Updated: 2016-10-20
Packaged: 2018-05-16 07:02:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5818732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stonathanstans/pseuds/Flarrowness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barry Allen and Leonard divorced, six years later Barry's getting remarried and Leonard is invited to the wedding, but before the wedding Barry and Oliver host a wedding retreat and Not wanting to seem like he's still into Barry, Lisa suggest he finds someone to take, too bad fate hates him and he can't find a date until he actually gets on the plane.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meeting for the first time

**Author's Note:**

> *Len is a fashion Icon basically  
> *The first chapter is going a bit fast and the chapter is a bit short but It will get longer and more fleshed out once they get to their destination

 

“Hey ex--whatever you want to be,” Barry says brightly as he walks into Leonard's office as if he owned the place, taking a seat in front of him and propping his legs up onto the table. Len rolled his eyes, attempting to knock his feet off but failing horribly.

 

“Husband is the right term; I don't see why you insist on saying otherwise. Oh and please, come right on in,” Len said, turning back to his papers on his desk and going over the file for the new line of clothes that was to come out in less than a week.  "Make yourself at home."

 

"Kind of is my home--or office. Remember we have to split everything down the middle. This company included Lenny."

 

"Well can you tell Michael that? I don't see why he insist on staying with me all the time. We are supposed to share custody."

 

Barry shrugs, "Hey, I told you not to put the waterslide in your pool. But did you listen? No, you didn't."

 

"How was I supposed to know that he would be into that?"

 

"He's eight."

 

"And he loses interest in something every other week. Except for these last three months apparently."

 

"Do you want me to talk to him?"

 

"That would be nice. Not that I don't mind him being with me all the time, it’s just the lawyer thinks that--"

 

"Thinks that you're bribing him to stay with you."

 

"Basically and I'm not risking custody, or getting rid of my pool."

 

"I'll have the talk with him then."

 

"Thanks. Anyway, why are you here? I thought you and Oliver had some plans."

 

His voice is low, sad almost.

 

“I take it you’ve heard?” He says and Len smirks.

 

“Heard what?”  Len replies as he looks up at his ex-husband, Barry groans, reaching for Len's drink sitting next to the picture of him and Michael at one of his recitals.

 

Barry twirls a finger around in the drink and plops it into his mouth, Len's watching and his mind racing back to the long nights that those fingers bought him so much joy, and the long night that he found those same fingers wrapped around his best friend's cock.

 

“Ha-ha Lenny, you know Oliver and I are getting married."

 

"Yeah, got the message six weeks ago. Didn't take you long."

 

"We were divorced six years. That's long enough you dick."

 

Len smiles. "Yeah, but I didn't expect--"

 

"For me to marry the guy you once considered a good friend and the one I cheated on you with."

 

"Exactly."

 

"I know it's tough on you."

 

"I'm pass tough, It's a little disrespectable."

 

"I didn't come here to fight Len."

 

Barry stands, "Michael wanted you there in case you were going to ask."  He pulls out a piece of white paper and throws it at Len.

 

Len picks it up and looks at it. "Your wedding retreat? What the hell?"

 

"Something Thea came up with. We spend the weekend before the wedding just having fun. You can come if you want."

 

Without another word Barry storms out, slamming the door behind him. Len sighs, lounges back on his chair and tosses the paper in his desk.

 

~

 

“You have to go,” Lisa says. Three years younger and Lisa is the voice of reason for Len, she tells him something, he listens. It's always usually the right thing anyway but this time. He can't do it. Who wants to go their ex-husbands fucking wedding retreat anyway? “Your son wants you there."

 

"I get that."

 

"Do you?"

 

"Yes, my son wants me to spend the weekend with him. But I can't Lisa."

 

"Six years Len. And he cheated on you."

 

"I know that. So don't---"

 

"What? That you don't go and disappoint your son or you do go and be miserable and everyone thinking that you're still pining over your cheating husband."

 

"So what do I do?"

 

"Go with someone, prove to Barry that you're happy and you're happy for him."

 

-

 

 

The retreat wasn't for another two weeks and that gave Len a hell of a lot of time to figure out what he was going to do and who he was bring.

 

"Come on Mick. Free food and board."

 

"And Barry knows that we're friends, I don't think that's going to work."

 

“Then just go and well, see what happens.”

 

 

 

 

 

~

The plane ride went smooth, or as smooth as one could as someone who was a complete wreck because A, he had failed in finding someone to bring to this stupid thing and B, yeah he was fucking pissed that his ex-husband was marrying his ex-best friend.

 

"You alright?" The man next to Len had said. He was quiet most of the flight and Len hadn't actually noticed him sitting there at all.

 

"Yeah, I'm fine." Len responds.

 

"You don't look fine. First time flying?"

 

"Nah, it’s just---" And Len didn't know why he was going to tell a complete stranger this. "My ex-husband invited me to his wedding retreat and I was going to bring someone with me but it didn't pan out. My sister thinks I still love him--"

 

"Which you don't."

 

"I don't."

 

"And now it's weighing on you."

 

"Exactly."

 

"If you want, I know this might seem weird but I can help you out.” The man goes into his pocket and pulls out a card. “I’m kind of an expert with this.”

 

 

 

~

 

 

 

 

“And how’d we meet?” Len asked, testing the guy, Ray as he learned his name was, memory. They were going to be landing any minute now and he wanted to make sure that Ray had all of this figured out and didn’t want him messing up. He didn’t know what possessed him to go through with this but it was all that he had, a last resort.

 

“I was browsing through one of your magazines, the one with the win a day at Rogue Gallery and I won and I saw you and you saw me and it was love at first sight,” Ray recited, actually looking through the magazine’s that Leonard had on him. “Not only are you a fashion designer but you have a magazine too? Does this ex of yours, Barry, know about the contest? Did you even hold a contest?”

 

“We will, this contest is in the works and will be announced in two months.”

 

“Okay so this one should be easy in case it comes up.  my favorite season?”

 

“Winter, reminds you of the Christmas vacations in New York with your grandmother and grandfather. “

 

“My sister’s name?”

 

“Lisa, she’s three years younger than you—and you’re thirty-five so that makes her thirty-two.”

 

“And you’re twenty-six.” Len says, “In case Barry ask me about you.”

 

“So you know that much.”

 

“Raymond Palmer, Twenty-six, former CEO of Palmer Tech which was your parent’s company but you didn’t want to run it and left. Started your own business where you help out guys like me.”

 

“Google?”

 

“Article.”

 

“Right.”

 

“My parents’ names?”

 

“Lewis and Amanda Snart. Mine?”

 

“Gerald and Sara.”

 

“I think we’ve got this.”

 

Len smiles. “Me too Ray. Except, one more thing, in case they ask.”

“And what’s that?”

 

“Why aren’t we very affectionate with each other?” Len asks. It’s something they practiced over and over again.

 

“Because I’ve never met this people and it’s a little weird especially with your son in the vicinity. Which I think is for the best. He doesn’t know about me---“

 

“I have given some thought though, the timeline that I put in our way to tell them is almost three months, we should at least kiss, on some level but not right now, we’d have to practice a little to make it seem more natural.”

 

“I’m down for that. Plus, this isn’t like it’s the first time that I’ve done this.”

 

“How many people have you helped?”

 

“Five. The business is still fairly new and not that many people need help. And before you ask, what you might not see in the papers or on the internet is that I still do work at Palmer tech when I’m not doing this.”

 

“I wasn’t— “

 

“I saw it in your eyes. You were going to ask what I did to make up for earning money.”

 

“It’s none of my business.”

 

“We’re ‘dating’ now, makes it your business Len.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray meets Barry, Iris and Michael.

They touched down in Honolulu quicker than Len wanted. A weekend of dealing with Barry, Oliver and the looks that could appear because Leonard Snart, the fool who didn’t see that his husband was cheating on him behind his back and then married the same guy was attending the wedding. Yeah, from an outside source he did look the fool to do this, but the only reason that he was here was for his son. His son wanted him there and he was going to do it for him. Someone was waiting for them once they landed, so much like Oliver, to make people feel welcome. Nodding to the chauffer, Len handed his bags and Ray’s off to him. The guy, who wasn’t wearing a name tag and hence Len couldn’t find a name for him stared at him blankly.

 

“Something wrong?” Len asked. He was standing near the car door, his hand hovering slightly over the knob, another bag in hand.

 

“I was told it would be just you.” The man, a greying older man, who looked no more than sixty said eying Ray and Len could tell that Ray was uncomfortable. A sense of ‘oh no, we’ve been caught already’ wore on his face. “That was the instructions that Mr. Allen left me.”

 

“Yeah, well, this is my boyfriend, Raymond. I was meaning to tell Barry about him but it never got around to it. He will be joining me if that’s alright.”

 

“It’s fine sir.”  His throat is dry. As though saying those words he would lose his job, Len was sure that Barry nor Oliver would fire him for a simple mistake. They weren’t those type of people.

 

Nothing else was said, the two men got into the backseat of the car and waited until the chauffer finished and they headed towards the hotel.

 

Len really hoped that this would be convincing enough.

 

~

 

He forgot, one bed. Sharing a bed, at least that’s what he thought would be better if someone came in and Ray could sense his disdain and offered to take the couch instead.

 

“I can’t ask you to do that.”

 

“It’s fine.” Ray says as he moves some of the pillows off the bed and onto the couch, which both men had to admit looked really good and comfortable, almost as comfortable as the bed. Len looked at him, worry on his face as he grabbed some sheets and handed them to him.

“What if someone comes in?” Len says.

 

“I’m hoping that they’ll knock first.”

 

“And what if they don’t?”

 

“The door should be locked Leonard, don’t fret over the small stuff. We have bigger fish to fry. Isn’t the dinner in a few hours?”

 

“Yeah, you’re going to meet my ex, Barry. His fiancé Oliver and my son with Barry Michael.”

 

“And Michael is how old again?”

 

“Eight and he’s exceptionally perceptive. He’ll tell if this is fake or not.”

 

“Then I suggest we make this seem real.”

 

“Ray I don’t ---“

 

He’s cut off by lips pressed softly against his.

 

“Got the kiss out of the way. Feel better about it now?”

 

Len was speechless.

 

“Say something Len. I hope I didn’t break you.”

 

Len shakes his head, snapping himself out of the small trance that he was in. He didn’t expect Ray’s lips to be so soft.

 

“You didn’t break me. I was just taken aback a little. Never had that happen to me before.”

 

“Someone kissing you out of the blue?”

 

Len chuckles. “Exactly. Even when I was married to Barry, that just didn’t happen with us. We always had a plan for each thing. Even Mikey. Never did anything unexpected or out of the norm. He hated his routine being messed up, mine too. Maybe that’s why he was able to cheat on me and I didn’t even know it.”

 

“That’s not your fault.” Ray’s voice is low, eyes narrowed as he watched Len sit on the couch.

 

“Then who’s fault is it? Someone’s to blame. And don’t say Barry.”

 

“You don’t think he’s to blame? He cheated on you.”

 

“Because I didn’t pay attention. I was so wrapped up in work---“

 

“That’s not an excuse to cheat. My father worked every day and every night and not once did my mother cheat on him. If anything she was supportive of what he did. It wasn’t your fault. I’m sorry for saying this, but if anything this was all on Barry. He wasn’t happy and he saw this as an out. You might not want to believe me because you don’t know me but I know what I saw when you said all of this.”

 

Len didn’t say anything. Neither did Ray.

 

~

 

“And who is this?” Iris West says the moment that Len and Ray enter the ball room that Oliver had bought out for the occasion. She saw them first, a glass of wine in hand and a bright smile on her face. She was Barry’s friend before Len’s and even though they divorced, she still considers Len a friend. She gives him a hug, eyes flinging to the man standing next to Len.

 

“Hey Iris.” Len responds. “How have you been?”

She shakes her head. “Don’t change the subject Lenny. Who is this handsome fellow?” She holds out a hand and Ray takes it without a second thought.

 

“I’m Raymond Palmer.”

 

“Of the— “

 

“Yes. And you are?”

 

“Iris West. Barry’s best friend and basically sister. We grew up together.”

 

“That’s nice.”  He doesn’t really know what to say. From what he’s been told about Barry, what Barry did to Len and now he was meeting someone who basically a sister to the man, he actually had no clue what words would be right to say to the woman standing before him.

 

She eyed him, giving him a smile that he wasn’t sure that he could quite decode and Len was getting a tad bit anxious about the whole thing.

 

“Lenny didn’t tell us he was bringing someone to this. I thought he was single.”

 

“Nah, he’s just a bit secretive about who he chooses to introduce to his friends and family you know.” Ray says and Len is holding back a sound in his throat. They didn’t plan this. He’s going off script and that is actually making him a little bit conscious.

 

Iris lets out a loud chuckle, gaining the attention of most of the people in the room.

 

“That’s our Len. Always the one to keep secrets.”

 

“Where’s Mikey?” Len interrupts and Iris points to the back of room where her own child, a seven-year-old girl by the name of Lyla was helping Michael sneak some of the cake that was being left alone. “I want Ray to meet him.”

 

She smiles, stepping aside and watching the two men vanish into the crowd.

 

“What was that?” Len says once they’re out of ear shot. He passes by Thea, Oliver’s sister and gives her a bright smile. She responds with the same, earnest look. One of the few people that didn’t blame him for what had happened and chastised her brother about what he had done.

 

“What was what?”

 

“Don’t play dumb. That improvising bull that you pulled with Iris. It could have gone wrong.”

 

“But it didn’t.”

 

“it could have---“

 

“Calm down Len. I know what I’m doing okay.”

 

They were almost to the table when the worst possible scenario happened.

 

“Who’s this?” Barry asked, eyes falling to Ray. “Barry Allen, soon to be Queen.”

 

He held out a hand to Ray.

 

“Raymond Palmer.”

 

“Palmer, like the— “

 

“The one and same. And you’re Allen, that Allen.” Ray responds dropping his hand from Barry’s and instantly wrapping his with Len’s.

 

Barry’s eyes narrow as he takes in the sight. “Yeah, I am. So you and Len are---together?”

 

Ray nods. “Yes. Have been for a couple of months now.”

 

“And you didn’t tell me Len? I thought we agreed that all relationships we have to discuss. Our son---“

 

“I know that. And I was going to tell you but you never gave me the chance. That day in the office---I had plans to tell you that I had someone but you and your mouth.”

 

“We need to talk about this. Now.”

 

Barry grabs Len’s hand, leading him away from Ray. Rude, but Ray merely smiled at Len and made his way to the cake table.

 

“You’re dating Raymond Palmer?” Barry says once they’re outside in the cool night breeze. “I didn’t think someone like that was your type.”

 

“And what’s my type Barry? Guys that cheat on me?”

 

“Len.” Barry warned. “Don’t. can we be civil this weekend? I invited you---“

 

“Because Mikey wanted me here.”

 

“That and I wanted to try and get along again. I know we’ve been working on it but we have these moments where we just---pause you know and revert back. I don’t want our son growing up around that.”

 

“I don’t want that either but Barry, I—what you did…”

 

~

“I saw you talking to my daddy.’’ A small, wonder like voice says. Ray is standing in the back of the ball room, a piece of cake in hand and watching some of the people. They’re watching him right back and whispering. He knows what about. But it doesn’t faze him.

 

“Michael?” Ray asks and the little boy nods.

 

“Why were you with my daddy?”

 

“He invited me here.”

 

“Are you and him dating?”

 

The kid got to the real questions.

 

“Would you be upset if we were?”

 

Michael eyes Ray’s cake in his hand, which is untouched, catching on he hands it to him.

 

“No. I know that daddy and papa aren’t getting back together and I’m okay with that. As long as you’re good to him, I’m okay with it.”

 

“Wise beyond your years’ kid.” Ray says just as he looks up and sees Len coming back inside, Barry trailing behind him.

 

“I see you’ve met Mikey.” Barry’s hand flies to his son’s head, patting him on the head and Mikey makes a disgruntled noise.

 

“Yeah, he’s a good kid.”

 

“That he is.” Len responds.

 

Looking between Barry and Len, Ray says something. He has a feeling things didn’t go right when they went and talked outside and he didn’t want to be the reason that this failed so quickly.

 

“I hope my being here wasn’t an inconvenience.” Ray suddenly says, moving a little close to Len.

 

“Not at all. It’s---It was a nice surprise is all. I didn’t know that Len was seeing anyone. You caught me off guard. But Len explained and I hope that you will enjoy yourself.”

 

He walked away, taking Michael with him.

 

“That was strange.” Ray acknowledges.

 

“Barry is strange. But he’s sincere on his word. He wants you to have a nice time.”

 

“He bought it?”

 

“Yeah. Thanks again for all of this.”

 

Ray shakes his head. “It’s what I do.”

 

“There you are!” A familiar voice sounded and no sooner than he heard the voice, Ray was being pulled onto the dance floor by Iris. Len stood by, watching the two of them.

 

~

“Iris likes you.” Len says as he walks side by side with Ray back to their hotel room.

 

“Really? I hadn’t noticed.” Ray’s voice is laced with Sarcasm and Len can’t help but laugh.

 

“I mean it. When she likes you, it’s forever and having Iris in your life is a good thing.”

 

“Michael seems to like me too. Is that a good thing?”

 

“Given that you gave him cake, yeah he likes you.’’

 

“You know he told me that he’s happy that we’re together as long as I don’t hurt you. This is going to come to head once the wedding is over.”

 

And Len’s heart races. He had completely forgot about that. Ray was here for the retreat and the wedding. After that, they would part ways and never see each other again. He hadn’t even come up with what he was going to tell people when Ray suddenly vanished from their lives.

 

“Yeah, but you know let’s cross that bridge when we get there you know?”

 

“Yeah, I know.”


	3. Chapter 3

The couch was surprisingly comfortable as Len laid awake that night. The room was completely silent and the only noise came from Ray’s light breathing, even then would be hard to miss if you weren’t paying absolute attention to it. And he didn’t know why he was paying so much attention to Ray’s breathing. He barely knew the man. The only thing he did know was his family name, and the fact that he was a fantastic liar.

 

The rest of that night had gone by, remarkably well. No one seemed to question them. Ray was enjoying himself with Iris and Len was enjoying himself, seeing people that he hadn’t seen since the divorce. He had a nice time and for the first time in a while he had a smile on his face.

 

~

 

“It’s just a tennis game.” Barry said over coffee the next morning. It was just the three of them, him, Barry and Michael. Michael wanted to spend some family time together and he was grateful for that.

 

“Yeah, at noon. Which gives me five hours to convince Ray.”

 

“You need his permission?” Barry quirks and eye at Len.

 

“I’m not whipped if that’s what you’re thinking.”

 

“I’m not thinking that at all. I’m just saying that why do you have to ask your boyfriend if you can go play tennis with your ex-husband and son?”

 

“It’s not that Barr, it’s more of the fact that I don’t know if he had something planned for us today and if he did, he might have to cancel his plans for this. Which he won’t be too excited about. That’s what I was getting at Barry.”

 

“Well check with him. It’s going to be fun. Sara’s playing.”

 

“Oh goodness. Really? She’s ruthless.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~

 

They’d joined Oliver, Thea, Iris, Barry, Sara Lance and Ronnie Raymond out on the Tennis court early the next morning. It was all Oliver’s idea for anyone who wanted to join in, a tennis match of sorts. Len hated Tennis, both Barry and Oliver knew this yet they chose to invite him along. Len looked and noticed Michael sitting off to the side, Lyla keeping him company as they played on their tablets. She was like the sister that he always asked for, and Len was more than happy to give him one, but well, things didn’t work the way that he wanted.

 

The court was set up, everyone standing around and unlike most tennis matches, it would be played in groups depending on who actually was playing instead of who said that they were and then changed their minds. Thea was sitting on a lawn chair that was more of a chair meant for the inside but when your brother basically owns the hotel, anything was possible, shades were over her eyes as a servant held a tray filled with food and drinks out to her. It looked as though she wasn’t going to be playing.  Oliver was swinging the racket back and forth and tapping Barry’s ass every often, earning a bright smile from the brunette as he did and Len felt something inside that he hadn’t felt in a long time and that pissed him off for some reason. Ray was standing next to him, clad in tennis shorts, a polo shirt and dark shades resting atop his head. Len was dressed in something similar, minus the shorts. No matter what, he wouldn’t be caught in shorts.

 

Ray flipped his shades down over his eyes. They weren’t expensive. You’d think the that the number one fashion designer in the world would have some expensive shades but he takes quality over price. The expensive stuff broke easily, the ones that he had he’s had since before he became what he became and he wasn’t letting them up for anything.

 

“Alright can we get this thing started?” Sara called out as she set up everything that they needed to get done. “My money’s on Ray.” Sara smiles as she walks past him. They had met on the walk up here and Sara was easily enamored with him, not trusting a little but she was overly protective of the people in her life.

 

“And why would you say that?” Oliver says. He’s moving towards Len and Ray. He hadn’t spoken to Len since that day, and not for a lack of trying. He’s tried but Len was the one who kept the bridge closed off. He just wasn’t ready yet.

 

“Have you picked up a magazine? He’s won every tennis tournament that he’s entered since he was six, which is why---“She placed a hand on his, or at least attempted too. Her height was something that she often got upset about. “I’m on his team.”

 

“And what if we don’t want you?” Len jokes. Sara throws him a smoldering glance and he backs down---only slightly though.

 

“Not an option.”

 

Everyone, including Len let out a small laugh and moments later the teams were picked out. Barry, Oliver and Ronnie were on a team, Sara, Len and Ray on the other and Iris chose to sit it out, to make it fair. She would be the judge for it. She pulled up a chair next to Thea and the kids, shades over her face as she waited for it to start.

 

“Flip a coin or rock, paper?” Barry asked and everyone immediately said flip a coin. Barry’s never lost a match of rock, paper. Chuckling he pulls out a coin, ‘’Heads’’ Oliver says first and flips the coin.

 

“Tails.” Barry recites. “They go first.”

 

Everyone walked to their side and began to warm up.

 

Ray pressed a kiss to Len’s temple once they were settled. Thankfully they’ve practiced this, otherwise this kind of thing would have thrown Len off and that would not have been good for either of them.

 

 “How cute!!!” Thea shouted, scaring Lyla and Michael.

 

“Can we just start playing?” Len mumbled and Ray let out a giggle.

 

“Lighten up sweetheart. It’s nice to be admired.”

 

Ray pressed another kiss to Len’s temple, whispering, “This is what he planned for remember?”

 

“Yeah, I know.”

 

~

 

The game lasted a lot shorter than anyone was expecting. Partly due to the fact that Ray had accidently hit Oliver in the eye with the tennis ball and he needed to see a doctor immediately.

 

“I didn’t mean to hit him.” Ray says to Barry. The three of them, himself, Leonard and Barry are sitting underneath one of the cabanas, each with a drink in hand.

 

“I know. And Oliver---He says it’s fine. He’s just not use to meeting someone that has the same skills as he does.”

 

Ray chuckles. “Yeah well, coming from the families that we did, it was only a matter of time before he met someone like me.”

 

“Family like yours.” Barry states. “Yeah, that must be something.”

 

“How about me and Ray get out of your hair?” Len says standing up, pulling Ray with him.

 

Barry’s hand flies out and grabs Ray’s. “It’s no bother. Plus, I saw Lyla and Michael going near the pool and you know how I feel about them being in a pool all alone.  How about you go with them Len and give me and your new boyfriend some time to get to know each other. Since it’s a chance that we’re going to be family after all. “

 

“I don’t think---“

 

“It’s fine.” Ray says. He kisses Len on the lips and drops their hands. “I’ll be fine. I promise.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't much but I truly have no idea where to go with this fic.

“Leonard and you seem really close.” Barry is watching him from over the top of his iced-tea glass. "I mean I know you're dating and all that but I've never seen him this way with anyone. Not even me."

Ray shrugs. He's not going to play into Barry's game. He wants him to slip up and that was the number one thing that Ray wasn't going to do. It was the number one thing that he trained himself not to do.

"I mean what did you expect? He's my boyfriend. I'd be worried if he wasn't a little over protective of me."

"I guess. I mean it's Lenny. The only person he ever cared about was himself."

"I don't believe that. I mean look at him now."

Ray points in the direction of the pool where Len is helping Lyla back stroke. "Does that look like a man that only cares about himself?"

"The Len you know now wasn't the Len that I knew back then. I get that he was working and providing for us...but he needed to realize that he had a family and people to care for at home. Not just his fans."

"I'm sure that he knew that---"

"He just didn't care. Was that it?"

"I didn't say that."

“Your voice is saying that.”

“Len is a wonderful guy and a fantastic dad. He told me---Yeah, he wasn’t around and you know what? Neither was my dad. He worked every night and day and the only time that we saw him was on weekends and not once did my mom cheat on him. She was committed and had faith and trust in her marriage to stick it out. I’m sorry, I don’t know you all that well, but if the day comes that Len and I do get married, I’m not going to go to the first warm body that shows me interest. I have faith in our relationship. I have faith in him.”

“You’re right. I wasn’t committed. I didn’t even love him, I mean I do now, but back then. I had married him young. I was twenty when I met him, twenty-one when we had Mikey. I was in over my head.”

“Had Mikey? He’s not adopted?”

Barry shakes his head. “No. Len wanted to adopt, I have this thing where child bearing could be dangerous but we took the right precautions and I managed to have a healthy baby boy and I was fine as well. Len does produces some wonderful looking kids. Michael’s eyes, I’m sure you’ve noticed them. They remind me of Len whenever I look into them. “

Len didn’t tell him that. He didn’t know that he and Barry had Michael the natural way. He was sure that he was adopted.

“If you would have— “

“I know. I messed up but a least he has you now. You’re a good guy Ray. I’m glad that he found you.”

“Yeah, I’m glad I found him too.”   
They sit in silence a little while longer until Len came back over, wet and Ray never noticed how handsome that he actually was.

“Is everything alright here?” Len says it more to Ray than to Barry.

“Everything’s fine. We just had a nice discussion, got to know each other a little bit.”

Len took a seat. “Well, that’s good. I thought—Well I didn’t know what I thought. But I’m glad that the two of you got along while I was away.”

“Yeah. You know what, I’m going to go get the kids something to eat. I’ll see the two of you later alright?”

Ray and Len nod. “Yeah. Later.”

“Goodbye.”

Barry leaves without another word to the two men and they can see him take Lyla and Michael out of the pool and head them inside.

"Everything go alright?" Len asks. His eyes are scanning Ray's, trying to find any change.

"Your ex is kind of a tool. I thought you said that he was nice."

"He is. But Barry's protective. You pose a threat."

"I pose a threat? I'm not even your real boyfrined."

"Nonetheless, You're someone in my life. Someone who's going to be around Mikey. He's worried."

"Worried about what? I'm not really yours. I'm not going to swoop in and take Mikey from him."

"I don't think that's how he sees it. He cheated, yeah but he's also--We were with each other first. Every first that we had we had with each other."

"I didn't know that."

"I didn't think it was that important. No matter what, We have that connection. More than with Mikey. We're connected by all those experiences. He's worried."

"He doesn't need to be. Not at all." 


	5. Chapter 5

Truth be told Len wanted this thing over more than anyone else he knows. It was his choice though to be here for his son but he should have known that being in the same vicinity as your ex, especially an ex like Barry, would cause pain and hurt and strife and anything else that he could think of.   

 

Even more so when Len was right about Barry and his feelings towards Ray, and boy did he not want to be right about that, Barry did view Ray as a threat. Which was stupid, in Len's eyes given that they weren't even together. But to Barry, they were and he's never been jealous or petty over a guy or anyone that Len has bought home and Len was never that way, except for maybe Oliver and he had his reasons for that.   

 

At any turn that Barry had, he was occupying either Len's time with nonsense about a divorce long since filed or sometimes about Mikey that Len didn't even know about and with Ray he'd come to him with snide remarks about how he and Len had all these first moments together and no one can take that away from him and bringing up Len's late hours at work.   

 

He didn't know where all of that was coming from suddenly but by Saturday morning Barry and Ray had seemed to come to blows and and the two had only spoken twice and barely even that since they arrived.   

 

He's noticed Ray trying to ignore it, trying to ignore Barry yet it's increasingly difficult when the man is at every turn. Every where and trying to figure things out with Ray. He doesn't get exactly what, what's changed in that short amount of time.   

 

Nonetheless though he was going to get to the bottom of it.   

 

"I think that we should spend some time together. Just the three of us." Len is standing in front of Ray, hiker's gear tossed over his shoulder. 

 

Ray frowns. "If by three of us you mean Barry, You and I, I will personally see to it that I fling myself into the burning sun." Ray is lounging on the bed, Len's own makeshift bed tossed to the side.   

 

He's partially naked and Len does find that a bit distracting. Ray has a very nice body.   Len tilts his head before sitting on the edge of the bed, scooting Ray's legs over to make room for him. Lately he's been getting to know Ray, getting comfortable with him and it's a nice feeling.   

 

They've become really close in the span of twenty four hours, it's unreal.   

 

"No Raymond. I mean you, me and Mikey. As far as he still knows you're daddy's special friend and he wants to get to know you."   

 

"And even though this is fake I do want to get to know him as well. He seems like a good kid." Ray sits up further on the bed, eying Len as he sets the gear on the floor. "And let me guess, you want to go hiking?"   

 

He nods. "This place has an excellent trail that we can go up and it's completely safe for beginners."   

 

"Who says I'm a beginner? I've done some hiking in my time. Some with some well respected people of the community. I can handle myself on those trails."   Len turns to him, a bright smile on his face that causes Ray to smile. So far he's been the only one that could do that to Ray, When Len smiles, he smiles. The way that the smile reaches his eyes and he knows that it's sincere is what makes him light up.   

"Great, because Mikey's been hiking since he was I diapers and I'm very experienced."   

 

If Ray didn't know any better he'd be sure that Len was flirting. The way that he spoke the last line sent a little something up his spine but he knows better.   He knows what this is, what this is between the two of them. An arrangement; simple as that and once the little retreat was over, Len and Ray will go back to their lives and never see each other again.     

 

"I bet you are." Ray fires back, cocking one eyebrow towards Len.   

 

Len stands up, leaving the gear where it is and walking towards the door. His hand is hovering over the knob as he turns back towards Ray.   

"Get something in you. I'm going to go get Mikey. I set up a time for us to go at noon."   

 

"So this wasn't a spur of the moment thing? Does Barry know that you're taking his kid with me hiking? For all we know he might think that we're taking Mikey up there to convince him to leave with us when this is over."

 

"Give Barry some credit Raymond. He's not usually like that. Give him some time."   

 

Ray waves him off. "Time, yeah, for sure. I'd do that."   He most likely won't. He knows what Barry feels.   That inane feeling that everyone feels when their ex brings home a new person. It's rooted deep in the mind of every person. It's something you can't control.   

 

Len sighs. "Raymond..." It's a warning tone kind of, but playfulness cemented deep in it as well.   "Go pick up Mikey. I'm going to get something to eat and get ready. Seeing as you scheduled the damn thing for two hours from now. I hope this isn't going to be a habit of yours."   

 

"It won't." 

 

________  

 

"No! Are you insane?" Barry is throwing a fit, one of his usual and temperamental self that Len is ignoring. He's resting against the counter of Barry's kitchen inside his room, his arms crossed as Mikey sits by. He's used to it, used to this little game that they play and he knows how to drown it out.   

 

"It's not his first hike Barry." 

 

"I know that. But it's going to be his first without me there with him."   

 

Len pushes off the counter and walks slowly towards him. "Look, I'm going to be there, Raymond has experience on trails. No harm will come to our son. You can trust me on that one."   

 

"Let me come with you guys. Just to make sure that everything is---"   

 

Len places his hands on both of Barry's shoulders, stilling him in his panicked state. It was something that they always did, it worked either way for the two of them.   

 

"I want to spend some alone time with Ray and he wants to get to know Mikey. Look Sunday is the last day and I'm sure that I can convince Ray to let us all do something again like yesterday with the tennis match. But today I just want it to be the three of us. You can call and check on him every hour if you want."   

 

Barry frowns. "I just don't trust Ray."   

 

Len drops his hands. "Why? Yesterday was good between the two of you, what happened overnight that changed that?"   

 

Barry walks to the fridge and takes a beer out, handing one to Len and then taking another out for himself. Len pops the cap off of his and then Barry's. 

 

"I had Thea look into him a little bit. You know he can't have kids? That was in all the articles online and in the papers."   

 

Len takes a swallow, burping slightly in a way that caused Barry to smile slightly.  "And? A lot of people can't have kids."   

 

"He can't give you one Len. So what if he tries to make Mikey like him more and he convinces you to get full custody? With that Palmer Tech lawyers on your side you could win. Especially since I was the one that cheated."   

 

There are tears stinging his eyes at this point and Len doesn't like it. No matter what they did in the past he was still important to Len and he didn't want to see the father of his son crying.   

 

He places the beer on the counter and wraps him in his arms. Barry hugs him back. "That's not going to happen. Ray wouldn't do something like that. He's a great guy. He loves me and won't do anything to cause me stress."   

 

"How do you know? You've known him a few months. You barely know him. You don't know what he's capable of Lenny."   

 

"True, I don't know him but I have a feeling he wouldn't do something so dastardly towards someone he's met only yesterday. He kind of like you anyway."   

 

"Yeah well I'm sure he'd do anything to make you happy and what better way than having your son full time? Getting him away from your cheating ex husband."   

 

Len pulls back, eyes scanning Barry.   

 

He's shaken up.

 

This isn't an act that he put on. He's genuinely worried that Ray would do something like this and it hurts him that he believes this.   

 

"After we get back from the hike sit with Ray and talk things out. Get to know each other better. He's a great guy."

 

___   

 

There's a knock on the door and Ray has half a mind to tell Len that he doesn't have to keep knocking  every time he leaves the room. He leaves the plate of food that he ordered last night in the microwave and stood, walking towards the door.   

 

"Len I've told you time and time before that you don't---"  He stops speaking when he opens the door and sees Oliver standing at the door.   "Oh, it's you." Ray replies stepping get aside and letting him in. Len's words seeping back to the front of his mind.   

 

' _ Get To Know Each Other _ '  and he's sure that it means getting to know Oliver Queen as well.   

 

"Oh it's me." Oliver  mimics stepping inside, his eyes scanning the room and flinging up to him as though disguisted. The room isn't exactly clean at the moment and he's sure that Oliver hadn't seen anything dirty all of his life.   

 

"What do you want Oliver ?"   

 

He takes a seat on the couch, crossing his legs as he does. 

 

"What's your game?"   

 

"What are you on about Oliver?"   

 

"Someone like you, Rich, handsome. Why would you settle for a fashion designer when I know for a fact that you've been linked in the past to men and women of importance. Len is---he's not someone that important and yet you've settled for him."   Ray sits on his bed, across from Oliver, making sure to keep his posture strong, to not give away how uncomfortable he's feeling at the moment.   

 

"I didn't 'settle' for him. I actually really like him thank you very much."   Oliver uncrosses his legs and leans forward. There's a teasing glint in his eyes that make Ray feel slightly uncomfortable.   

 

"We're the children of socialites. We attract each other. I know you felt it yesterday during the tennis match. I'm sure you know how great of a couple we would be."   

 

Ray laughs.   

 

"You can't be serious. You're getting married in about five days and you're in here propositioning me. Is that what happened with Barry? Did you come to him one night and convinced him that Len was no good and he fell into bed with you? I'm not that easy. I love Len. I'm not going to cheat."   

 

Oliver stands up and drops down in front of Ray.   His hands reach for the pajama bottoms that he has on and Ray slaps his hand away.   

 

"Are you crazy? I don't want you Oliver."   

 

"You say that now. But in time, everyone leaves Len. It's who he is. They think he's the best that they can do until someone better comes along."   

 

"And you think you're better than he is?"   

 

"I know that I am. He's subpar compared to me. I can give you things that he can't."   

 

Ray pushes him and moves out of his eye line.   

 

"Newsflash Oliver. I can get what you have to offer myself. I don't need you for that and I don't need Len to provide anything for me other than love and admiration."   

 

"Children." The statement is blunt.   

 

"I can't have children Oliver. It's in all the magazines."   Oliver stands from his kneeling position and stands near Ray. He's determined, Ray can give him that.   

 

"My father is working on something and if it works, you can have kids. But they'll have to be mine. I'm doing this for you and I want children from you. Can you imagine that? A child with our genes?"

 

"Or I can imagine a child with Len. Doesn't matter if it's ours or adopted. Now you need to leave before Len comes back and gets the wrong idea."   

 

Oliver slaps his ass. "We'll see about that honey." 

 

_____   

 

Barry watches as Len and Mikey leave, the moment that they're out of sight he pulls out his phone, texting Thea.   

 

_ FIND OUT WHATEVER ELSE YOU CAN ON RAY PALMER. EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO GET ROY TO HELP. I NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS ABOUT RAY _

 

___   

 

"Ray is a great guy you know." Mikey is perched on Len's shoulders as they make their way across the courtyard towards Len's room. He has ice cream in hand and if Barry had known that he had given his son sweets that early in the morning he was in trouble.   "He was nice to me yesterday. I do really like him."  

 

"And he likes you. That's why I decided to do this fun activity for us. Just the three of us. Hiking. That way you and he can get to know each other really well and have fun and---"   

 

"Is he going to be my new step dad? Because I'd rather have him than Oliver."   

 

"You don't like Oliver?"   

 

"I do but he tries too hard to get me to like him and I don't like that."   

 

Len grins. That's his boy. Even at a young age if you tried incredibly hard to make Mikey like you he always ended up not liking you. He needs time to figure out how he feels about a person without the added stress.   

 

"Well your papa likes him a lot and they're getting married soon."   

 

Mikey groans. "Ugh! I hate weddings. I don't want to go to it. Papa has me wearing this suit and it's so itchy and ugly and Lyla is dressed similar to me and I don't want to do it. If you and Ray get married can you have it at the amusement park or the beach?"   

 

If they get married. They're not even really dating.   "Of course. That way you can wear whatever you want and no itchy suits."   

 

"Perfect. And lots of cake and ice cream that we don't have to share with anyone. I want my own cake."   

 

"But Mike, it will be my wedding. My cake."   

 

"That's fine. As long as I have one of my own that I don't have to share with anyone. Maybe I'll share with Lyla. And I want it to be chocolate and vanilla. With whipped cream frosting."   

 

They continue walking, Mikey going on and on about a wedding that had no chance of ever happening. He was told, on the plane. Ray doesn't fall in love with the clients.   

 

It's not apart of the description.   

 

By the time that they make it back to the room Ray's already dressed with an hour to go before they're supposed to be on the trail. Mikey hops down off of his shoulder and rushes past Ray with a bright smile on his face before plopping down in front of the television and flipping it on to the brightly colored and extremely loud cartoons that kept him occupied.   

"How did Barry take the news that we were spending time without him?"   

 

"He wasn't happy but he got over it."   

 

The two sat on one of the couches a little further away from Mikey so he didn't hear what they were saying.   

 

"Oh, by the way, Oliver stopped by."   

 

"Really? What did he want?"   

 

"Me. The guy tried to suck me off, told me that I could do better than you. That in time, everyone will leave you. Told me flat out that he wanted me. That he can give me the things that you can't."   

 

There's a sinking feeling in his gut that Len doesn't like.  

 

He shouldn't have that inkling, they're not dating.   

 

They're not together.

 

"I told him that you're the best I can get and I'd rather be alone than without you."   

 

"Really?"   

 

"Not the last part but I did tell him, and I quote 'I don't need you for that and I don't need Len to provide anything for me other than love and admiration' The bastard only smirked at me before slapping my ass and leaving."   

 

"That's a great lie by the way."   

 

Ray shrugs. "It's what I do." 

 

___   

 

Not a lie.   

 

Not completely. Ray has begun to like the man in a short amount time and it was insane. He's never fallen hard for someone so quickly and, fallen? Can he really say that? They had known each other, what twenty-two hours on the plane ride and then then fourteen hours yesterday, that's all a total of thirty-six hours and he's in like with the guy.    

 

But he can't, he can't fall in love with the man. It wasn't apart of this, of them.   

 

They find the trail easily and as it turns out, the guide had scheduled not only their trip but one with another couple and that required two guides. While waiting on the second one, Ray was about to jump off the nearest cliff. Not only had the other couple been Barry and Oliver but the guide had been someone that he knew all too well.   

 

Mark Mardon had been a client nearly five years ago. He was a simple case of trying to impress his mother and telling her that he had a boyfriend instead of her trying to hook him up with the first warm body that she saw and he was helpful. He did more for Mark than any other client, going even as far as to sleep with the thirty-six year old virgin.   The relationship, at least that's what Mark had called it turned into more of lust for Mark and he fell deep in love with Ray to the point he began stalking the other man.  That is until Ray left, making sure that he never found out where he was.   

 

What was his luck that Mark was in the exact same place that he was?   

 

"You alright?" Len asks obviously noticing Ray's sudden discomfort, his eyes glancing to Barry and Oliver who are watching them with the same intensity, though Oliver's seem to keep watching Ray as though he was something to eat.   

 

"It's fine. I'm fine."   

 

He should tell him about Mark. There's a million ways that this could go wrong but he also doesn't want to put Len on alarm.   

 

He had to keep this a secret.   

 

Len nods, kissing his temple before stalking off towards Barry and Oliver who were now speaking with Mikey.   

 

"So good to see you again Raymond." That familiar, sultry voice breaths in his ear.   He shivers slightly, making sure to keep his calm as to not draw attention to the two of them. If anything he has to make sure that if anyone looks their way it would only look as though they're having a conversation.   

 

"It's good to see you too Mark. It's been a while."   

 

"Five years, six months, two weeks, eight days, thirty-six minutes, ninety - nine seconds."   

 

"You've kept count."   

 

It was strange, weird even that he kept count and this was one of the reasons Ray left Star City.   

 

"You were my first Raymond, my first time, my first boyfriend---"   

 

"We weren't actually dating..."   

 

Mark chuckles. "It was real to me. I had never kissed anyone before I met you."   

 

"It was a part of the job. I pretended to be your boyfriend and you paid me nearly ten grand for that week of being with your family. That's all it was Mark."   

 

Mark touches his back, sending more shivers up his spine.   

 

"And that guy, Leonard Snart, is he just like me? A man that's paying you for his time. You seem happier with him than you ever did with me. Could this be true love?"   

 

"Leonard isn't paying me. He's my boyfriend..I don't do that anymore."   

 

"Right. You've gone straight? How----amusing." Mark gleams just as Len comes back over towards them.  

 

"The other guide is here. He's going to take us now."   

 

Len looks between the two of them, hiding his hand out for Ray to take. He does so, gripping it insanely tight as they walk towards Mikey, who grips his other hand..   

 

They look like a picture of perfection in one of those hallmark cards. The wilderness backdrop providing that excellent source of scenery.     

 

"Are you sure you're okay? What was that back there?"   Ray bumps his shoulder against Len's, playfully. Lying will get him nowhere yet they don't have the time to be doing with Ray's past.   

 

"Oh, you know. People trying to pick me up. Not understanding that I'm with someone. It's a nuisance sometimes. I shouldn't be this distractivley handsome."   

 

"Distractivley isn't a word." Barry adds.   

 

"And those boots don't go with that shirt but we all make mistakes sometimes." Ray smiles and Len holds his hand tighter, gesturing that he thought that was hilarious.   

 

Barry prided himself on fashion, hence why he and Len had actually met in the first place. This was a blow to his ego.   

 

___   

 

Two hours on the trial and Mikey and Ray surprisingly getting along famously, and Len's phone rings. It's Lisa about the latest issue that she was putting out while he was away and he was right about the whole thing, the entire issue was going to be shirtless men doing various poses. He didn't want that, especially since none of the models were wearing the latest fashion that Len had designed.   

 

"Go handle your business. I can handle Barry and Oliver. No muss, no fuss."   

 

"Are you sure about this?"   

 

"Incredibly. I've got this."   

 

He and left them alone and that inkling sat deep in his stomach. He didn't know what was going to happen..He didn't know if Barry was going to push Ray down a cliff or what Oliver would do to him.   

 

If anything happened he had Len's phone number and one phone call would have him back up the trail in no time to check on them.  

 

"I noticed you and that guide, Mark I think his name is. What's up with that?"   Barry fell into step next to him, Oliver and Mikey up just ahead with Mark and the second guide had headed back down with Len.   

 

"How about you mind your own business? Who I talk to has nothing to do with you."   

 

"If you're going to be in my son's life then hell yeah it has something to do with me. From the way he was breathing down your neck I would think that something was going on between the two of you."   

 

Ray places a hand on him, stopping him in his tracks.  

"I don't know him. I can't help that people are naturally drawn to me. I turned him down, told him I was seeing someone and he backed off. Don't worry, this ain't nothing that you can use to dissuade Len into my life...Barry."   

 

Barry smirks. "We will see." 

 

___   

 

"So what's this about the magazine not being able to be pushed on time? You ruined it Lis?"   

 

Len is back in his room, watching his sister through the tiny screen on his laptop. He was going to call her but she wanted to face time instead.   

 

"Oh, the magazine. Right. No its fine. It's going to be released on time, the models are all wearing your new clothes and everything is perfect."   

 

"Then why in the hell did yo---"

 

"Because it's been nearly two days and I had to hear from Mikey that you bought a date to this thing? Who is he Len? What's he like? Is he handsome?"   

 

"One question at a time Lisa. Okay?"   

 

She nods. "Okay. What's his name?"   

 

"Raymond Palmer."   

 

"Palmer? Of the---"   

 

"Yes."   

 

"Where did you guys meet?"   

 

"On the plane."   

 

"Okay I just looked up Ray Palmer and damn, he's cute. So that eliminated my next question. Is this kind of a wedding ringer type deal? Are you paying him for this?"   

 

Len shakes his head. "He offered to help and he does this for a living so I got lucky. He's great though. Mikey loves him, Barry is threatened by him and Oliver wants to bone him."   

 

"And how do you feel about him?"   

 

"I've known him thirty something hours."   

 

"And? You knew Barry less than that before I caught the two of you in the shed screwing and you ended up marrying him eight months later."   

 

"My mistake. We got married young, rushed into things. Had I known---"   

 

"Had you known we wouldn't have had Mikey in our lives. Think about that for a second."   

 

"You're absolutely right."   

 

He thought about that a lot. Those moments when he thought about what his life would have been like had he not met Barry and how happy he would have been also accompanied thoughts of how his son wouldn't have been born and that instantly blanks. He doesn't know how he could live without his son.   

 

"Give this a shot. Just from this alone you look happier, your face is glowing and I haven't seen this is a long time. Look, love at first sight and all that is real. Give this a go with him."   

 

Len leans back in his chair, thoughts running through his head. "Love at first sight? Riiiigghhht."   

 

"it's true! I met a guy a few days ago, Cisco Ramon. We haven't stopped talking since we met. We spend hours on the phone and together. The moment we locked eyes I knew it was love."   

 

"Even if I wanted to, he says that he doesn't fall in love with clients. It's not in the description. Maybe if he stopped doing this then maybe, but until then, it's a no go between the two of us."   

 

"Does he see it that way? I mean has he shown interest in you at all?"   

 

Len shrugs his shoulders, running his hand through his short hair before sighing. "He hasn't."   

 

"Give it time. You're lovable." 

 

___   

 

Len didn't even know that he had fallen asleep until he's jolted out of it by a loud banging and the door being slammed closed and Ray cursing.   

 

"Ray?" Len's voice is groggy.  He doesn't realize that he's in Ray's bed either. "What happened? What's going on?"   

 

He tosses his shoes onto the floor and strips out of the hiker's outfit that he has on until he's in nothing but his boxers. He plops down next to Len.     

 

"Your baby daddy is what's the problem! He accused me of screwing Mark and he said it in front of your son, ugh, the nerve of that guy. What? People can't talk to other people without people assuming that they're fucking? Honestly that's horrible and Oliver!  I can't wait to leave here. I don't ever want to see their faces again. I don't see how you put up with them."   

 

Ray lays back in a huff, not caring that his head landed on Len's outstretched arm. He turns, pillowing his head on his hands and watching Len.   

 

"I've never let the families of the people I'm doing this for get to me but Barry Allen has a lot of fucking nerve for a guy who cheated on you. He walks around like he did nothing wrong and you can't be happy. It's unfair."  

 

"It's my life."   

 

"It's a sucky life. And Mikey, he got lucky with you as a parent but Barry, I feel for the kid. And the way he looked at me when Barry made the accusation hurt in ways I didn't think it would."   

 

"Do you want me to talk to Barry again? To get him to back off?"   

 

Ray rolls off of him, leaving a sudden cold spot on Len's arm. "Nah. It's no use. I hope you don't mind but I want to skip out on the dinner that he had planned tonight. I just want to curl up on the couch and watch the Real Superheros of Metropolis."   

 

Len chuckles. "You actually watch that?"   

 

"And you don't? We have superheroes Len, real ones and this show is showing us their lives. I didn't know  Mari McCabbe went through all of that. Vixen is one of my favorite heroes."   

 

"I've met her before. For a photoshoot. She's a spectacular woman. Real down to earth."   

 

Ray sits up, a bright expression on his face as though he was a kid on Christmas who got everything that they asked for.   

 

"Honestly? What is she like? What was she doing there? Tell me everything Len. You can't just tell me that you met her and not give details."   

 

They both scoot up towards the headboard, Ray watching in closeness as Len recounts the day that Vixen herself walked into his building and everything that they did that day, from lunch to going shopping.   Len even promised to give Ray the signed copy of her issue when they got back to Central City.   When they got back to the real world, after the wedding. 

 

____   

 

"Where's Ray?" Iris and Sara asked the exact same time when Len entered the restaurant. He wasn't even through the door good enough before they hounded on him.   

 

"He's not feeling well. Decided to stay back in the room." He lies almost easily and the girls buy it hook, line and sinker. They nod before hopping on both sides of Len and walking towards their table.   

 

When he sits he sees Barry smirking at him from across the table when he shows up alone. He knows what he did and truthfully, he doesn't think this has to do with Ray anymore. Barry being this petty has never happened and he doesn't like it one bit.   "Ray couldn't make it?" Oliver is eyeing him now, a glass of pink champagne poised to his lips before he takes a gradual sip.   

 

"He's ill. But he should be better by tomorrow for the last day."   

 

"The last day, and then it's off to Central City for the wedding." Barry adds, taking a sip of Oliver's champagne and grinning. "I hope Ray will be able to attend. He does live in Central City doesn't he?"   

 

Len nodded. "Actually he's from Coast City but he's planning on moving to Central to be near me after the wedding. We might even move in together."   Barry's face turns into something that looked as though it was straight out of a funny comic. His face dropped, his eyes widened and he looked like he choked on something.   

 

"Moving in together after what, three months of dating?"   

 

"You and I slept together after knowing each other half a day. In honesty I'm moving slower with Ray than I ever did with you."   

 

There's silence. Most of the people talking at the table clamored up, all suddenly interested in their menus. It was no secret that they belive the reason the marriage failed was because how fast the two of them moved and he really didn't want sit through this after what he had just said.   

 

He needed an out.   "I'm going to go check on Ray. Make sure he's okay."   He pushes away from the table but not before apologizing to his son about leaving and walking into the fresh Hawaiian air. He walks until he's only feet from the entrance of the hotel and rests his head against the wall. He breathes in, taking in the day's events.    

 

This was going to be a long night of staying up once again. He might as well start designing next seasons clothes since he can't sleep again. 

 

___   

 

"You're back early." Ray notices. He's on the couch, the television playing in the background but he's not actually paying it any attention. He's more focused on the book in his hand. He looks up when the door slides open, Len smiling when he sees the relief of Len not knocking.   

 

Len walks over to the couch and plops down on the floor, just by Ray's feet.   

 

"Barry." Len states and Ray gets it.   

 

"Barry." He repeats in disearnest. "Want a drink?"   

 

"Please."   

 

Ray tosses the book down and gets up to fix them both something. Len focuses his attention to the television, watching a Carrot and a Banana do the tango.   He comes back three minutes later with two Banana strawberry margaritas in hand. He hands one to Len.   

 

"You made these?"   

 

Ray smiles, taking a sip. "My nanny taught me when I was ten. This is my favorite flavor to make."   

 

Len sips it gently, face lighting up at the taste. "It's delicious."   

 

Ray bows before taking a seat. "I do aim to please."   

 

"And please you do. This is amazing."   

 

They sit in silence for a while.   "You might have to come back to Central City with me instead of Coast, the wedding is there and well, you know."   

 

"Yeah. I figured that much. But do you mind if I stay with you? It'll seem weird if I stay in a hotel."   

 

"No, not at all. I was actually going to ask you that."   

 

They both take another sip. This time the silence remains between them.

 

___   

  
  


Len is in the middle of a very pleasant, though completely random dream about Ray and a batch of whipped cream and strawberries whe he's awakened by a banging at his door.     

 

He stands up, not even aware that he was on the floor and painfully hard and notices Ray passed out in the bed, a glass next to him. He can't remember most of last night but he thinks he had a good night. If it's not Ray at the door, it had to be someone else and he didn't need them seeing....that early in the morning.     

 

"Hold on one second!" Len shouts searching for his baggiest pants and tossing them on. He hoped that they would hide all of that.     

 

The knocking continues. "Hold the fuck on!" and he hopes like hell that Mikey wasn't at the door. He hates speaking such a language in front of his son.   He trips over some of Ray's clothes and makes it to the door, throwing it open he's met with his ex husband.     

 

"What do you want Barry? As you can see, it's kind of fucking early in the morning for this."     

 

"It's seven am. You've been awake at less convential hours."     

 

"Yeah, because I had a son to look after while his father was screwing the man we considered like family. But you know, whatever."     

 

Barry stares him down. Eyes scanning over Ray's body and noticing his state. He then looks over at Ray asleep in the bed. He's practically shirtless and Len knows exactly what's going through his mind, what he's thinking and inside he feels a little bit of sadness and delight.      

 

"Can I come in?" Barry makes his way inside anyway without even waiting for him to tell him yes.   

 

"What Barry?"     

 

"Everyone is meeting up at the boat yard at nine, we're going to enjoy the day cruising around Honolulu. Make sure that Ray is ready, judging by the glasses that's scattered he might need some coffee."   

 

Len nods, hoping that Barry wasn't taking in too much of the room and noticing some things that he shouldn't.     

 

"I always make sure he's fine. Just go and worry about yourself, and Oliver."      

 

"Oh, I will."   

 

___     

 

He has Ray completely aware by the time they get to the boat yard.   

 

The only thing that people noticed about him that gave away the illusion that both of them had a little too much of the sauce last night was by the fact that Ray wore a pair of dark sunglasses.     

 

Len was always grateful that he could get as wasted as he wanted and not have to worry about those hangovers that he often had to bring both Oliver and Barry back from.   

 

Ray was leaning against Len's shoulder, turning slightly in when the boat crashed against a wave, the movement sending a signal to his brain that he did in fact drink too much last night.   

 

"I hate you." Ray grumbles   

  
"I know."


End file.
